Below Deck in the South Pacific Ch. 03

Kieran cracked an eye open, he was laying in a cot without pants. His legs were elevated and one of his feet was tightly wrapped in bandages. His entire body ached, and when he shifted, his foot throbbed something fierce. He was in the medical storeroom, a light glowed on wall beside him, but its harsh glare was muffled by gauze. There was a cot a few steps away from where another sailor lay, his head was tightly wrapped and Kieran could make out dark stained bandages in the dim light. At the other side of the small cabin, beside a stack of boxes, another sailor sat in a chair, his head tipped back. He was snoring softly.  

At first Kieran guessed him for a pharmacist's mate, probably keeping an eye on him. He cleared his throat, but before he called to out to let him know he'd woken up, he noticed his rate badge lacked the red cross. The sleeping man wore the crossed cannons of a gunner's mate second class. His hands were bandaged. 

Dark eyes. The man who had saved his life. 

The man was tan, even in the dim light, Kieran could see long eyelashes, an aquiline nose, and full lips partially open. The man's cover was sitting in his lap, clutched tightly by one of his bandaged hands, leaving his head bare. His hair was close cut, but not so short to hide the beginnings of black curls. Kieran watched as his chest rose and fell slowly. He hadn't paid too much attention in school, even before the navy, he'd known he'd spend his life on a ship and not behind a desk. But, the man's peaceful smooth expression, fine features, and even the stubble that painted his cheeks, brought back memories of staring at Renaissance paintings on school trips to the museum.

The man's eyes snapped open, immediately fixing on Kieran. Full lips spread into a smile, "You're awake," the man said quietly. 

Kieran nodded, only just realizing he had sat up and forward to study the man. Why had he done that?

"How are you feeling?"

 "I'm--" he lost his speech to a gale of coughing. 

The GM immediately sprung to his feet and rushed over, "Do I need to call the doc?"

"No," Kieran managed between coughs, "Water."

The man nodded, dark eyes wide, and grabbed a canteen sitting on one of the stacks of boxes. Rather than offer it to Kieran, he sat down beside him, threw an arm around him, and held the canteen to his lips. 

Kieran took a hesitant sip, before nodding and promptly dissolving into another coughing fit. 

"Deep breaths," the man said rubbing his back, and offering him another sip. 

Kieran sighed relaxing into the man, "Thanks."

"Sure you don't want me to call the doc?"

Kieran nodded again, "I'm fine, mouth was dry."

"It's the morphine," at Kieran's expression the man continued, "Gave you a shot after you went unconscious. The doc says you dislocated three of your toes, and probably wrenched half the joints in your body."

"You can dislocate toes?"

The man shrugged, "Never heard of it either. But the sound of you hitting the hull was loud enough to hear topside.That'll dislocate something if anything can."

"What about..." Kieran said looking over to the other cot. 

The man swallowed, "Peters has a fractured skull, and a concussion. He woke up for a bit, but they pumped him full, and he's been out every since. Gonna transfer him to the Anzio tomorrow."

"I'm sorry," Kieran looked away. 

"Sorry? What do you got to be sorry for? The only reason Peters is still breathing is because of you. XO said you're gonna get a medal."

Kieran flinched at the thought of standing up on deck with everyone staring at him. He pushed the sudden flare of nausea away, turning back to the GM, "What about you?"

"Me?"

Kieran placed a hand over the man's bandaged hand, his fingers were warm, and Kieran's skin buzzed, "You saved us both."

The man chewed his bottom lip. He had lips that'd make most girls jealous, "Yeah. He said I'm probably getting a commendation... the whole gun team probably will. It was..."

"Thank you," Kieran said, giving the man's hand a squeeze. 

"Shit. I should be thanking you. You saved one of my sailors. Besides," he said shooting Kieran a smile that set his heart drumming, "Peters' got a girl at home. She's a mean baker. We'll probably spend the rest of the war knee deep in cookies when he gets home."

Home. While it was better than the alternative, getting sent back to the stifling little house by the sea wasn't high on Kieran's goals. 

"What's your name anyway? Gotta let Betty know it might be a while before Peters writes her back." 

"Kieran, Kieran Sullivan. But most people call me Sully."

Hand still in his, the sailor gave him a strong handshake, "I'm Francesco Orsini, but call me Frank." Frank smiled again, before standing, "I should probably let somebody know you're awake. No," he pressed a hand into Kieran's shoulder, "Don't try to get up. Your foot's busted, remember? And you're not exactly wearing pants," he winked, "See you around Kieran."

They stuck Kieran on sick call. And even though he could walk without much pain after a day, he was mostly confined to the medical storeroom with a stack of paperwork to occupy him. The guys in the berth came to visit twice. They were all smiles and congratulations, but Fowler was quieter than usual. Much to Kieran's disappointment Frank didn't stop by. 

By Thursday evening Kieran was getting more than a little stir crazy. As he heard the shifts change to first watch, his nerves jangled and his gaze kept falling towards the door. He wasn't restricted to storeroom per se, but after lights out, he'd probably get a dressing down if they caught him out and about. 

Around 0100, he couldn't take it any more. He got up and hobbled his way to the head. After lights-out when sailing into a warzone, all external lights were extinguished and light was kept to a minimum. The halls were empty.There were more than 200 men on the Flemming, and Kieran saw not a soul. 

He shouldn't do this. He knew he shouldn't do this. There were a thousand reasons he shouldn't do this. But, Kieran eased himself down a ladder, and then another onto third deck, and made his way aft. 

The storeroom hatch was closed, and the sound of the crank thundered in his ears when he turned it. Dim light spilled into darkness, but nobody was there. Kieran held the hatch, feeling its weight. He took one look down each side of the hallway, before taking a deep breath and stepping in. When the hatch closed behind him, the room returned to pitch. 

"You made it," the whisper was at the edge of his hearing. 

Shuffling steps and the creak of crate signaled the man's approach, an arm was placed on his shoulder.  Kieran swallowed, heart already thundering, and let himself be led deeper into the storeroom. 

After a few hesitant steps, including a turn that made him rely on the unseen sailor more as crutch then guide, he was slowly eased to sit down against a crate against the wall. 

"Sorry I..."

"No sorries," a finger rested against his lips, before briefly stroking his cheek. Another hand went flat on his chest and pushed him back. Kieran sighed as fingers slid into his trousers and pulled them down and off. The man took special care with his still bandaged foot. 

Ass bare on the rough wood of the crates, Kieran's knees where pushed apart as the man situated himself between his legs. Hot breath warmed his inner thigh and, despite the darkness, Kieran felt deeply exposed.

Fingers traced over his legs, circled around his cock, and the man pushed his shirt up. For a brief panicked moment, Kieran thought the man was going to undress him completely. But the man leaned in and rough stubble grazed his chest. 

Kieran jumped a bit as he felt the heat of a tongue on his nipple, which the man only took as invitation. Kisses blossomed across his chest as the man slowly traced the contours of Kieran's chest and belly with his lips. 

The man's tongue on his pecs made his hips jostle, and his now fully hard cock left lines of precum across the rough fabric of the man's uniform. The man gave the gentlest bite to one of his nipples, and Kieran moaned. He'd tried this with a few girls, but he'd never imagined them returning the favor. The surge of sensation curled his toes. 

As the man continued to work on his chest, Kieran reached for his cock. But, the man grabbed his wrist and pulled him away. 

"Please," Kieran whispered. 

There was a soft chuckle, then all at once, Kieran's cock was engulfed in warmth. With his free hand he covered his mouth to stifle the groan. The man slid down his cock with expert care, before rising and starting up a rhythm. A hand came up and lifted Kieran's balls up from the edge of the crate, and the began to roll them in his fingers. 

Kieran's head was back against the metal, gasping as waves of pleasure rolled through him. They had only just started but he was already getting close. The man released his hand and, after running fingers through short cropped hair, Kieran brought a hand up to his chest.  He squeezed one his nipples, first gently, and then with a little more force.

"Oh fuck," he breathed, as the nerves lit up across his chest and down to his cock. 

The man gave a soft hum of approval, before wrapping strong hands under Kieran's thighs and pulling them up. Kieran was too lost to sensation to recognize what exactly was happening. His eyes widened, when the man rested one of Kieran's legs on a wide shoulder and began to lick his balls. 

First one, then both entered the man's mouth and Kieran melted. The man was jerking him off as he sucked on Kieran's balls with increasing pull. His hand was careful. The man worked him slowly, occasionally running a sticky thumb across the underside of his leaking cock. Sparks and colors erupted across firmly shut eyes. 

At first he barely noticed it, just one sensation among many, but the man's finger tip, slicked with saliva and Kieran's precum started teasing his ass. It was a tickle at first, but Kieran's eyes shot open when a finger slid in. 

Kieran twitched, unsure if the sudden intrusion was something he was enjoying. But, he'd come this far. He wanted to go further. 

The finger slid in deeper, and the angle changed and a line of pure pleasure shot between his cock and hole. Kieran groaned, and bit his lip to keep from screaming. He shuddered. 

He came with such incredibly force he almost fell off the crate. Somehow in the first fevered moments of his ejaculation, the man had returned to sucking on his cock. He greedily took everything Kieran gave him. But, it didn't stop. 

Kieran's shuddering pushed him onto the man's finger and it set him off again. For seconds that stretched he was caught in waves of pleasure, and ground down onto the man's finger, until he was absolutely worn out. His body went limp, sliding off the man's shoulders, he lay there gasping. 

"I... that was... you are..."

The man leaned forward, gently running a finger over Kieran's chest. Kieran wasn't sure if he could see it or if he just sensed it on some deeper level. But the man was smiling. He gave Kieran's cock a slow pull, and the dregs of his cum spilled onto his belly. 

A different sort of warmth spread over Kieran. He was satisfied in a way he wasn't sure he'd ever been. But he needed more. 

Kieran reached out and grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him down onto his near prone body. For a moment the man resisted, but when no assault came he laid himself down on Kieran. The press of warmth and weight against him was intoxicating. 

Feeling warm breath on his face, Kieran leaned up and met sticky wet lips with his own. The man gave another jerk of surprise but didn't fight him, falling into the kiss. Kieran's held him there, feeling the rough of stubble on his cheek, only breaking away to kiss down the line of the man's jaw. The man gave a rumbling sigh, before turning to kiss Kieran with gusto.

Lips wide, Kieran felt a tongue against his. That damn tongue! Salt filled his mouth. The taste of his own cum. Kieran splayed one hand across the man's chest, and the other he threw around the man's back. The man wrapped arms around him, Kieran found himself blinking back tears. 

They held each other just kissing and feeling the occasional hot sigh rush over their cheeks. Eventually the man released him and laid him down gingerly. 

"You are something else." He whispered, before rising and walking to the door. The sudden flash of light blinded Kieran to the last thing he desperately wanted, to know who this man was. 

Plunged back into darkness Kieran sniffed and realized he was crying.